NY registration..kinda bummed!

[mptech]

My understanding is that NY DMV is "Guilty until proven innocent".
If you can't prove the purchase of the motor & trans, THEN it is considered not purchased (ie: stolen).

I read a story a while back on the FFR forum that someone had built a '33 Hotrod, took it for inspection, couldn't prove the purchase of the engine (don't remember about the tranny) and they would not let him take the engine home, and as long as it was in the car, it stayed TOO! He returned with a cherry picker and some tools, removed the engine and trailered the car back home. That is just ridiculous government / DMV BS.

Many DMV are a PITA. When I registered my FFR in MO last year. They temporarily mis-located an internal form (sending from one office in one city to another city) it was internal and I couldn't do anything about it, until it magically appeared weeks later! There was another form, that I filled out for vintage plates and mailed to the state capital via USPS registered mail. It arrived at the government building, THEY SIGNED FOR IT (I had a USPS confirmation), THEN THEY LOST IT IN THE BUILDING. After almost 2 weeks of trying to find it and me calling them every day and spending hours on the phone, they declared it lost and asked me why I didn't fax it to them! I said because there was no fax info on the form and no one said I could!! I fax'd it and they issued my plates the next day. THEN 1 month later, I got a letter stating that they couldn't issue my vintage plates because the license number was already in use! They were correct, I looked it up and it was "in use" BY ME!!
Idiots

Good luck! get as much information as possible, double check everything, and make copies of every form.

[Mark IV]

Understand the NY DMV inspectors are "Law Enforcement Agents" and are armed. They deal with some rather unsavory characters (not to profile but many of the "bad guys" have no necks and write Cyrillic) so they tend to disbelieve your story.

Be straight with them, have your documents in order and don't be a d!ckhead and all will go well. Heck we had a rather attractive DMV agent look at Superformance Mark III and ask if she could take it for a drive....my reply "well, no plates, no insurance but you are holstering a Glock so go for it!!!"

[1795]

Rick's advice should be heeded. Be straight forward with the DMV inspectors and you will start off on the right foot. They are not looking to be PITA's, but give them some attitude and they were gladly assume that role

[mnm99]

Originally Posted by mptech

My understanding is that NY DMV is "Guilty until proven innocent".
If you can't prove the purchase of the motor & trans, THEN it is considered not purchased (ie: stolen).

I read a story a while back on the FFR forum that someone had built a '33 Hotrod, took it for inspection, couldn't prove the purchase of the engine (don't remember about the tranny) and they would not let him take the engine home, and as long as it was in the car, it stayed TOO! He returned with a cherry picker and some tools, removed the engine and trailered the car back home. That is just ridiculous government / DMV BS.

Many DMV are a PITA. When I registered my FFR in MO last year. They temporarily mis-located an internal form (sending from one office in one city to another city) it was internal and I couldn't do anything about it, until it magically appeared weeks later! There was another form, that I filled out for vintage plates and mailed to the state capital via USPS registered mail. It arrived at the government building, THEY SIGNED FOR IT (I had a USPS confirmation), THEN THEY LOST IT IN THE BUILDING. After almost 2 weeks of trying to find it and me calling them every day and spending hours on the phone, they declared it lost and asked me why I didn't fax it to them! I said because there was no fax info on the form and no one said I could!! I fax'd it and they issued my plates the next day. THEN 1 month later, I got a letter stating that they couldn't issue my vintage plates because the license number was already in use! They were correct, I looked it up and it was "in use" BY ME!!
Idiots

Good luck! get as much information as possible, double check everything, and make copies of every form.

Makes me want to build my own damn car or buy a roller minus. I talked to Jay at Backdraft today and went to Merkle engines. Backdraft cost is 37K plus taxes $3100. So that brings me to 40K ish. Merkle will build me a turn key 460 for 7K then trans 3K. So 50K I cant do...Found a car in MA with a MA vin 15 digits, but not sure if that will do. Here it is.

[Mark IV]

NY will look for a 17 digit "WMI" VIN. Anything else will open a can of "don't wanna go there" figure on starting from scratch.

[1795]

The title may be a red flag for wanting them to go through the full review process, because the model is listed as a "Cobra". NY DMV may question that when the VIN is not a CSX..... People have been able to register replicas listed as 65 Fords that did not specify cobra. It is tough to say.

If you do try to go that route you need to be clear with your insurance company that they are insuring a replica and not an original cobra.

Not quite sure what you are looking for, but AMiller has a Antiques and Collectibles cobra with a 351 in it for sale that is already registered in NY, so it would be no problem. He has it listed in this website and I believe on Cragislist as well under the Rochester edition. I have seen the car and went for a ride in it, he did a nice job. I decided against it because I wanted an FE, but it had me thinking.